Journal, Property of J Potter
by The Lime-Wielding Ninja
Summary: James Potter's journal. He's decided to document his final year at Hogwarts. Marauder era. I don't own any characters you might recognize. JP/LE, naturally.
1. July

Journal

Property of J. Potter

July 23rd, 1977... 23:49

I hate this.

I hate not being able to go to school. I'm not learning anything, and my dad just got sent on a really important Auror mission in the Andes. Mum's worried sick. She is every time Dad goes on any mission, even if it's just across the street.

I asked out Lily Evans through owl post. Again. She said no. Again. In a Howler. Again.

I can't wait until next week. Padfoot's getting his own place now; he says that he'll have a huge party or something. I doubt it though. Padfoot never really got the hang of organization. It'll probably be only Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and me. But, then again, how has that ever stopped us from having an excess of fun before.

Shoot, Mum's coming upstairs.

July 25th, 1977... 20:24

Got a letter from Dad. His mission is going okay, but he isn't allowed to say what it is. He'll be home in two days, if all goes well.

Moony sent me a funny photo today. Wormtail was at his house, and somehow got stuck in the laundry hamper. All you can see is his little hands and legs waving about. I'll just keep the picture in here.

There's something like thirty-nine days until school. Um...that's boring.

Only 3 days until Padfoot gets his flat. That's not really all that boring at all.

J.P. + L.E. - love

July 29th, 1977... 13:37

Just got back from Sirius' new place. The party was mostly just unpacking all his stuff, eating most of the food, and breaking half the plates (Peter dropped the box.) Somehow, Sirius managed to get more people than just us Marauders. Frank Longbottom showed up, too, with his girlfriend, Alice. And Dora Tonks was there, but mostly just talked to Remus. Honestly, those two...yeah.

So most people ended up staying the night at the flat. Naturally, the girls didn't stay. I got teased about Lily. Remus sat in a corner and read. Wormtail laughed at all our jokes like the little pansy he can be. Frank taught us some defence spells that were pretty cool. He also brought a radio, but we had trouble finding anything we all agreed on. We found out that Remus was not actually reading, but having some sort of weird conversation with someone through a book, like instant owling. He wouldn't say who he was talking to, and we didn't want to bother him about it either. He's pretty good at hexing us in unpleasant and/or uncomfortable ways.

Oh, I almost forgot. Around eleven at night, Sirius thought he heard something outside, so he looked out his window (which faces into an alleyway, dumpsters and all) and saw some old Muggle wheeling an old motorbike over to the emptiest dumpster and tossing it in (which is weird, because old cars and stuff are supposed to go to landfills, according to Moony.) Sirius was practically jumping for joy, because he thought he could get that old piece of crap to work. He's taken it inside and he says he's going to work on it over the summer. I don't really believe him, but it would be pretty cool if he got it to work. Maybe he could give it a few...modifications, per say.

Sirius' Address: 2388 Faraday Ave.

I want to write Lily again. She'd probably not listen to me though.

Wormtail is going to be overage in a few days. Let the world scream in terror and run.

J.P. + L.E. - love...I hope.


	2. August

Journal

Property of J. Potter

August 1st, 1977... 22:00

I've decided, with the little time I have left (two hours until Wormy turns seventeen, when the world's going to explode), to explain what I, James Oscar Potter, am doing with a journal. On my birthday this year, I got the traditional watch from my parents, but from my cousins, Will and Eliza, I got a pretty little journal. Well, I have decided to document my last year at Hogwarts, in the hope that one day, I can look back on all this and laugh.

L.E. + J.P. – love

August 2nd, 1977... 00:01

KABOOM!

Oh, wait...I'm okay. My room's still here. I guess the world didn't explode after all.

L.E. + J.P. – love...there is a possibility.

August 14th, 1977... 20:39

I sent Lily a letter today, except I made it more serious this time. I'm going to make a copy and put it in here:

_Lily Evans,_

_How's your summer been so far? Mine's been pretty boring, except for Sirius finding a motorbike. He thinks he's going to remodel it, but I don't think he's doing very well. So far, it's just been explosion after explosion._

_So, yeah, there's nothing to do here, really. Just sit around; sometimes play a bit of Quidditch._

_I do have one more question, though: Why won't you go out with me? I know that I'm arrogant and pig-headed and all that. Are there any other reasons?_

_Humbly as possible,_

_James Potter_

I hope she doesn't yell at me again.

L.E. + J.P. – love?

August 16th, 1977... 19:45

I got a letter from Lily today. It's not a Howler, but I'm afraid to open it. It might contain words of, dare I say...quiet discouragement. Those are always harder to deal with than words of loud discouragement.

Went shopping in Diagon Alley today. For once, I didn't need new robes, but I did need a new Transfiguration book and Potions kit. Everything else is fine.

I met Wormtail while I was there. He had gotten lost trying to find Padfoot and Moony, so he dragged me along with him to find them. It took us half an hour, because both of them had gotten lost trying to find us. Had a great time, all in all.

August 17th, 1977... 03:09

Okay, I opened the letter. Here's what it said:

_James Potter,_

_I've had an average summer. My sister has completely ignored me, and my mother and father have traveled somewhere expensive and beautiful while I work afternoons at the local restaurant._

_Does Sirius actually _know_ anything about motorcycles? I know some stuff, enough to fix the average motor of a car._

_In answer to your last question: those are the only reasons. More specifically, because you pick on people who do nothing to you. Drop the ego, and then I might consider going out with you._

_Sincerely,_

_Lily Evans_

Weird, isn't it? It's civil for once, except for that last bit.

...How do I respond to it?

L.E. + J.P. – a greater possibility of love

August 22nd, 1977... 21:00

10 days until school starts.

August 29th, 1977... 23:05

3 days until school starts.

August 30th, 1977... 22:18

2 days...

August 31st, 1977... 20:56

TOMORROW!

(L.E. + J.P. – love)


	3. September

Journal

Property of J. Potter

September 1st 1977...12:45

I'm on the train to Hogwarts, about to be 'briefed on my duties as Head Boy.' Exhilarating.

Since I'm Head Boy and Lily is Head Girl, this should be, in my opinion, an excellent chance to redeem my arrogant ways and possibly go a day without annoying her. I think that would be a first. I might actually try to make innocent conversation. I wonder how that works...

Padfoot came to the train station on his motorbike today. I'm pretty amazed he got the stupid thing to work, seeing as he wouldn't let anyone help him, even me. Since he's actually a mad genius when it comes to Transfiguration, he managed to deflate it and roll it up small just before the train left. I'm guessing that he'll just keep the bike in his book bag for most of the school year. It's not like he'll be keeping any _books_ in there.

Aw, _no_, I just spilled pumpkin juice on my journal. Now it's all soggy and horrible to write on.

Whoa! Was Lily here this _whole time_? Crap.

September 1st 1977...23:08

She tried to steal my journal, but I wouldn't let her. Oh, no, I'm never, ever, letting Lily see my journal. I will have to be wily and sneaky about it, oh, yes, how wily and sneaky I shall be. But first I've got to unpack. I've got myself a nice little room here on the fourth floor. It's the Head Boy room (naturally) and it's really cushy. And fluffy. And green. Who was the last Head Boy in this room? Because I know the rooms rotate every so often...Oh. Yeah. That Slytherin guy, what's his name again? Lucy? Yeah, Lucy. I remember him now: white blonde, vain as a vanity mirror and too much of a pansy to ever set foot on the Quidditch field. I don't think he even really needs that pimp cane of his. He probably just likes it so he can beat down on the ickle firsties. I hated him. Maybe he'll just up and die one day. Or better yet, have ravenous bats fly out his ears one day. It's not as unpleasant when you're dead, I'd bet.

Anyway, back to the train ride: After trying to steal my journal and me asking her politely to quit it, Lily just sat back and shut up. That's something I'd love to be able to do. Then we were briefed, and had to inspect the compartments. When we got to the compartment Moony and Padfoot and Wormy were in they all made fun of Lily. But I think they stopped when I glared at them. I've got a very nice glare. It makes people stop in their tracks and burn their eyebrows off with a match of their own 'free will'. Mwahahaha!

Anyway, Lily took one side of the train, and I took the other. It wasn't too bad, walking beside her the whole time. For once, she wasn't yelling at _me_.

But once we'd gotten back to the compartment, Lily and I actually got to talking. I asked her about her job at that diner she'd mentioned, and she said that even though she had to deal with big trucker guys stepping on her feet and ordering way too much food at once for her to carry, it didn't pay badly, and most of the truckers were fairly nice to her. She recounted to me the story of when a trucker asked her for her number, and she gave him the number of her sister's arse of a boyfriend. That made me think of how not all pranks were loud and noisy.

After that she quietened down a bit, like she was thinking. But her expression was angry, so more like brooding. I figured that it would be a bad thing to interrupt her, so we didn't speak much more at all.

L.E. + J.P – love

September 14th 1977...02:19

School got tough.

September 15th 1977...00:27

I found a proper place to hide my journal. I've made an invisible compartment in my trunk, but I still stack books around it, just in case.

Sirius had been using an unused classroom to modify his motorbike. It can run like a regular one, but he wants to modify it some more.

School is still really tough. I've got about three more feet of parchment to write. Better get back to it.

L.E. + J.P – love

September 20th 1977...17:41

Hiding in that secret passage behind the archery tapestry, second floor. McGoon-Haggle is trying to find out who put shampoo in Snape's pudding. But somehow, I think she already knows it was us.

September 27th 1977...14:18

Detention. Sorting out mine and Padfoot's files. It'll take forever.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Again.**


	4. October

Journal

Property of J. Potter

October 1st, 1977...17:24

Padfoot got a mad - although brilliant - idea today. He was wondering if there was a safer place where he could store his bike over the school year and 'customize' it and stuff, and suddenly it just popped in his head: the Hiding Room. The four of us found it a few years ago when we were running away from Peeves. There's a door that appears when you walk past this bit of wall three times. The weird thing is that when we first found the Hiding Room (hereafter referred to as THR), it was about ten foot square, and we could all fit quite comfortably. There were rather conveniently placed storage shelves for hiding behind. However, when only one of us uses it, it's a broom closet. So Padfoot thinks that he could probably get that room to become the right size for him to fit his bike. Since the idea is kind of mad, I think it might not work. Wormy, though, is positively convinced that the plan will succeed. Moony's got the same opinion as me, but he's also the eternal optimist. Anyway, if it does so happen to work, think of what else that room could do. It boggles the mind!

L.E. + J.P. – love?

October 9th, 1977...20:27

I've finally gotten around to reupholstering this room of mine. It's now painted an off white colour. Most of the plush is gone, but there was a rocking chair that I decided to keep. I hope to get some posters or something at Hogsmeade this Halloween. And...I've decided to ask Lily to go with me to Hogsmeade. I've been absolutely civil to her, and I've also refrained from publicly humiliating Snape for the last few weeks. She has no more excuses to refuse me. Also, last night, while we were going around the halls checking for any miscreants (hahaha, 'miscreants'), she actually smiled at me. Down-right, honest-to-goodness, smiled. It was a very pretty smile. I think I remember smiling back, but I don't remember much else about last night except her smile. And her eyes. Can't forget those eyes.

L.E. + J.P. – love

October 15th, 1977...15:30

She said YES!

L.E. + J.P. – love

October 20th, 1977...18:45

School is so brutal.

I can't move my fingers now.

I've written so much.

October 24th, 1977...23:08

Padfoot's mad idea _worke_d! THR turned into a serious mechanical workshop. I think it's great. Sirius reckons that half the stuff in there is stuff he doesn't know how to use, though. I sure hope he doesn't hurt himself _too_ badly.

October 28th, 1977...05:21

It was the full moon last night, so as usual Siri, Pete and I followed Moony to 'his little house in the woods'. We were almost caught this time by the Hog's Head, because some old hag came out back entrance. I don't even remember why we were there in the first place, I think we were joking about trying to talk to the bartender's messed up goat that's always tied up there. Anyway, this old lady, hunched over and stuff, comes out of the back door, screeching at the top of her lungs about a slug in her Belching Bourbon. So we all had to run to the alleyway between the houses across the street, because otherwise she would see us in all our Animagatic glory, and freak out, tell the authorities, all that jazz. I think she may have been too drunk to notice us, though.

October 31st, 1977...23:11

My day. Was so. Bloody. Fantastic!

Lily and I went all around Hogsmeade. We both were repulsed by the idea of Madam Puddifoot's (we aren't that serious yet. And it's so...urgh...), so we went to the Three Broomsticks. And we talked. Lily's had a really hard time this year with family. Her sister won't talk to her anymore, and her parent's don't understand magic in the slightest. She's been too busy lately, what with homework to talk to her friends much, and with her having a different room this year from all her friends I guess she feels excluded.

I also mentioned to her how I was having trouble keeping up with school work. Lily then said that she'd be "willing to help me", and that we should meet in the library some time.

We drank a few Butterbeers. And then we just wandered through various shops. Apparently, Lily likes to try on hats. We went to Gladrags, and there was a hat rack. Lily felt it necessary to check out most of the hats. I tried on a few, too, but mostly enjoyed watching Lily wear all those many hats. I think that her hair is too lovely to hide, though. I didn't tell her that.

We went to a few other places, and Gobsmacked Sweet Shop had a going-out-of-business sale, so we went there and bought a bunch of sweets, but the highlight of my day was when we went for a walk in the woods.

She kissed me on the cheek, and told me I wasn't as totally arrogant as she had thought I was.

L.E. + J.P. – love

(Oh, and the feast was great, as usual. Bats and pumpkins and stuff. I liked the pie. The pie was good.)

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much to siriuslives394 for checking this over and pointing out mistakes! I've fixed them as best I could, I think.**

**I'm going to try and do a monthly update thing with this fic. I hope it works!**


	5. November

Journal

Property of J. Potter

November 2nd, 1977...16:34

Padfoot's not going to do his homework tonight, he says. He's going to go work on the bike. He's not sure how he wants to 'trick it out' (where he got that phrase, I don't know), but he really wants to impress this one bird in Ravenclaw. Haha, get it? Bird? Ravencl...no, even for me, that was bad.  
Back to the point! Siri really wants to make the bike cool. I think it needs a new paint job, maybe red. But _he_ just wants to make it do cool stuff, and when I say things about paint, he says "Bikerson is beautiful on the inside." What's with that name?

There is a possibility that Lily would have some ideas for the bike. She said that she knows some things about cars and motors. But she doesn't know that Sirius brought the bike to school, and I am fairly sure that hiding something like that from teachers is against the rules. Us being Head Boy and Girl, she'll probably want to make a case against the bike to Dumbledore. Understandably, I'm a bit hesitant to ask for help on ideas.

There's also a bit of a bet on between Remus, Peter and me on how Sirius will hurt himself first, and with what dangerous tool. I'm thinking he'll cut off a finger with a chisel while scraping off some of the rust, I've got one galleon and a trick wand on that. Petey isn't too gorey, he's betting one galleon and three sickles on just getting some old engine oil in his eye. Remus is probably the most realistic, and has two galleons saying Sirius will run screaming to us about a paper cut he got while reading the repair manual.

Had the weirdest little chat with Snivellus today. I walked by him on the way to Transfig and he just grabbed my arm and pulled me behind the fake tapestry, the one that leads to a secret hallway to the second floor. He mumbled something about what my intentions were. I guess my expression was confused, so he talked extra slowly to me and said "What. Are. Your. Intentions. With. Lily?"

It took me a while to respond. "I just...well...nothing dirty, if that's what you're asking."

I guess he took that better than he might have. He could have hurt me, I know he could have. The lot that he hangs around with are sure nasty enough that he could have picked up some...painful spells. But he didn't use any of those on me. He just let go of my arm and whisked himself out of the passageway. He's a weird one, that Snivellus.

L.E. + J.P. – love

November 7th, 1977...17:09

Mooney won the bet. I don't have two galleons.

I did finally convince Sirius to paint Bikerson. I could not convince him to change the name. I mentioned that Lily knows stuff about cars. Sirius now wants to know how I know. He said it in his joking sexy voice. Except there's nothing like that going on. Padfoot doesn't believe me.

I'm in a sort of awkward stage in my friendship with Lily. It's almost like we're best friends, but not really. We kind of flirt back and forth sometimes, and it's often hard to distinguish from a joke. But on hallway patrol we actually talk a lot. Not about stupid, flighty stuff, about real things. Like how we both want to be more involved in defeating Voldemort some how, or what we want to do once we graduate. Lily really wants to go into healing, the pharmaceutical side of it. She's good enough at potions that she could go into the medical field. Of course, I want to be an Auror, and when I told her she just smiled sarcastically and said "I've heard it's tiring work. It'll do miracles for your energy levels." Lily's always a bit like that, often slipping little bits of aggression or sarcasm into an otherwise innocent conversation. I think it's just habit for her now, because otherwise she's been totally civil since Halloween.

A bit strange. But I still love that girl to pieces.

L.E. + J.P. – love

November 13th, 1977...???

I've lost my watch. The one that I got from my parents. But I always keep it with me. I've tried Accio a few times, but nothing happened.

November 15th, 1977...after classes

I found a note in my Potions textbook today. This is what it said:

_Potter,_

_If you want to see your watch ticking again, come by the Quidditch pitch tomorrow night, the 16__th__, at 11pm. Bring a bag of jelly slugs. Come alone._

_A friend._

I don't recognize the writing. It could be from anyone, though most likely someone in my Potions class. That's one of the few times they could have slipped a note in there. I really have no clue who would take my watch and hold it ransom. Ransom for a bag of jelly slugs. I think my watch is worth much more than a bag of jelly slugs.

November 16th, 1977...23:47

Do you know who it was? The whole time? It was Lily! She made up one of the most devious, elaborate plans ever for one of the simplest things in the world. I've got to give her props for that.

She snuck into my room. I know, it's a little creepy. I said so to Lily and she admitted that she wasn't really thinking about how creepy it was at the time. She just wanted to steal my watch.

Apparently, I'm not as light a sleeper as I thought. She managed to use magic to undo the buckle on the watch strap and I only twitched my hand a little. In the end, Lily managed to steal my watch and leave without a trace. She then wrote a note, again, using her wand, because her wand-writing is different from her quill-writing.  
The next day during potions, Lily slipped the note into my textbook. She did it very sneakily, because I didn't even notice until I opened up my text for homework in the evening.

Then, she sneaked (...snuck?...snooked?...) out to the Quidditch field and sat there for half an hour, waiting for me to show up. That shows either determination, stubbornness, or...something else that's good. I showed up about fifteen minutes late because I couldn't find any jelly slugs, so I had to sneak into the other guys' dorm room and leave an IOU.

So anyways, Lily was sitting there at the Quidditch pitch, waiting for me, which I thought was really weird and unexpected, and I said so. She said that was good, because that was the way she'd wanted it to be. She then asked for the jelly slugs, which I handed over, and then she gave me back my watch. Then, Lily told me about the plan she had concocted. I told her that I was a good plan, and she thanked me. But then I had to ask why she'd gone to such lengths to get me out here.

She asked me if I loved her.  
I told her I did.  
She asked me if I was joking.  
I told her that I had never been joking.  
And then she sighed, and said that that was all she wanted to know. And she told me she loved me, too.

L.E. + J.P. – love

November 23rd, 1977...22:07

Frank Longbottom almost beat me in a DADA test today. Almost. Heeheehee. I am the champion, my friends!

Lily and I are now, officially, an item. That makes me happy.

L.E. + J.P. – love


	6. December

Journal

Property of J. Potter

December 5th, 1977...19:45

This is one of the few weekends in the past two months that I have been without homework or anything else to do. So just after supper, while Lily went off to the library to do an Ancient Runes assignment, Padfoot and I discussed letting Lily help him with the bike. He is still completely set on making it fly, but he doesn't know which part to charm. After much 'persuasion', the type that most people call 'bribery and threats', I convinced him to let Lily at least have a quick look at the bike. We're all three of us going to meet up by the troll ballet tapestry at "midnight-thirty", as I like to say.

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 6th, 1977...04:36

I finally got back from the Room of Requirement. Had a great time there watching Lily baffle Sirius with knowledge about motors. She agreed with me that a flying bike might not be the best idea, but she told him that the battery could be charmed to do a lot of different stuff, like play different music on command. Later, Lily told me that she did know how to make the bike fly, but believed it unsafe for all mankind if Sirius found out.

I just spent the last few hours talking with Lily about certain kinds of everything – why I went out with Judy last year (even I don't know), recipes for cake, jobs versus careers – stuff that average teens talk about, I guess.

I intend to use the rest of my Sunday for sleep. I don't care that there's going to be a huge snowball fight today. I will sleep and be happy.

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 13th, 1977...07:11

It's really close to Christmas. I only just realised. I wonder what Lily's going to do. I usually go home for the holidays, but I want to stay at Hogwarts this year. I should send an owl to Mum and Dad.

Voldie's being very disagreeable. He's not showing mercy to anyone at all. It's very inconsiderate of him.

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 15th, 1977...16:07

Holiday plans all worked out. I'm going home for Christmas day, but returning to Hogwarts early. Lily's going to stay at Hogwarts all the holidays, so I'll have to be without her for around twenty hours. This makes me sad.

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 18th, 1977...22:43

ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 19th, 1977...19:23

Six days...

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 20th, 1977...17:57

Five days...

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 21st, 1977...23:08

Four days...

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 22nd, 1977...15:40

Three...

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 23rd, 1977...20:25

Two...

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 24th, 1977...21:22

Tomorrow!

But tomorrow I'm leaving...

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 25th, 1977...23:39

I love Christmas a lot. It's my favourite holiday ever. I get to see all my family, and hang out with them and stuff. We all make fun of each other, and then help make the Christmas pudding. It's great stuff. I also made cookies! No one wanted to eat them, though. I don't know why. It's not like I put anything _really_ weird in them.

Anyways, I love Christmas. I love the atmosphere, and the snow, and the presents, and the family getting together and everything. It's just one of those incredibly happy holidays for me.

One particular thing I love about Christmas is watching the littler kids open their gifts. Their faces light up at the sound of tearing paper and tape, and they almost always forget to say thank you to whoever gave them the present.

Speaking of presents: I got a new broom. It's not pretty, but it's very fast and good for tight corners. My grandpa actually designed it himself, and had it built by a guy who makes custom brooms. I'm really excited about how I'm going to use it for Quidditch this year, which has been going quite well so far. We're ahead, but not by much, so we're going to have to slaughter Slytherin next game.

I get to see Lily again tomorrow.

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 28th, 1977...15:15

The last two days have been wonderfully boring. I've been mostly sitting around the common room with Lily, or walking, or flying around the grounds on my new broom. There has been a blissful amount of nothing. And I intend to keep it that way for as long as possible.

L.E. + J.P. – love

December 31st 1977...22:06

New Years Eve has been sneaky. I completely forgot about it until today. There's a bit of a party going on in an old classroom on the fifth floor, put on by the Ravenclaws. I don't really feel like going, but I might just pop by, see what they're doing, and leave after a few minutes. Lily said she wanted to go, but I could tell that she was lying. When she lies, she folds her hands and stares at them. She's usually very straight forward and makes eye contact.

So in general, there's not much to do for the next while. I think I'm going to go to that party, but I hope not to stay too long.

L.E. + J.P. – love

* * *

**A/N: So this chapter is very late. I have no other excuse than "I am lazy." Sorry!**


	7. January

Journal

Property of J. Potter

January 1sststt, 197888.........02:65HUNDERED!

Thrat praty...no, no pratty partee...it waass soooooooooooo fnnn. Im soooooooooooooo innubirnated. Ennybrinutted? Durnk. Yeh. Durnk. The grils wre prettty. Espekialllie wun gril. Marie? Yeh, Marie. I kissded her, but Lilllie saw mee. Oooopss.

I stlil lurve Lilllie.

January 2nd, 1978...18:22

So Lily isn't talking to me. I don't remember one single thing about New Years, but apparently, I was inebriated, to say the least, and kissed some girl I don't know. Reading what I wrote yesterday, it must be true, but I...I don't think I'd ever do that. And Lily thinks it's something more than it is. But it isn't. Am I making sense? Probably not. I just...I want to talk to Lily and explain myself, but she's so mad, she won't even look at me. I admit, I was stupid to have had so much firewhiskey. I wouldn't have kissed that Ravenclaw if I hadn't gone to that party and stayed in the common room with Lily.

I'm stupid and arrogant. Lily was right about that.

January 5th, 1978...17:09

I have been detentionless for the last two months, but today I got in trouble with McGonagall for yelling at some first years for standing in my way. I'll say it, they didn't really deserve it. So in the end I lost Gryffindor 15 points. It's not a detention, but it makes me feel annoyed with myself. As most everything does lately.

So...I'd been trying to write notes to Lily. She kept on burning them whenever I give them to her.

Moony and Padfoot and Wormy cornered me today. Padfoot started off by taking me by the shoulders and shaking me. "Stop moping about, mate! She's just another bird." I gave him a bloody nose for that. Moony then tried the gentle approach, by telling me that she would come to her senses soon. That didn't help, because I was the one at fault, and I told him so. And then, wonder of wonders, Wormy pushed my two best friends aside and gave me this pep talk:

"Okay, James. You went to that party on New Years Eve. You got drunk, and kissed another girl without thinking. Does that mean you love Lily any less? No. You made a mistake, and are most certainly in the wrong here. Does that mean you cannot redeem yourself in Lily's eyes? NO! You most certainly CAN! So you walk right up to that girl and apologise for being such a stupid jerk. You go and get her back!"

So that pretty much what I did. I found Lily in the library. I admitted that I had been stupid, careless, drunk and hadn't been considerate of her feelings. I was then violently shushed by the librarian.

Anyway, I think I've been forgiven; even though Lily still didn't say anything, but she pulled up a chair for me to study beside her. And she was smiling.

January 14th, 1978...22:34

Oh, homework, how do I hate thee? You sneak up on me when I'm not looking and hit me in the back of the head before I even know you're there.  
But yeah, I've been overloaded with homework, especially in Transformation and Potions.

L.E. + J.P. – love

January 17th, 1978...16:48

I had one of the better days of my life today. It was a rare day of relaxation. I went to classes, made jokes that were funny without being offensive, and Quidditch practice went fabulously, because my broom is just past the breaking in stage. Slytherin vs. Gryffindor game tomorrow!

L.E. + J.P. – love

January 18th, 1978...19:08

WE WON! WE WON! SLYTHERIN LOST, WE WON! We absolutely whipped the Slytherin Quidditch team. They kept on getting penalties, and we were absolute angels. (Heeheehee.) It was great! 230-30! I made this one amazing goal, where I stole the quaffle from one of the Slytherin chasers just as he was going to throw it into one of our rings, but he was too slow, so I ended up with the quaffle, and I was flying down to the end of the pitch, and I dodged all the on-coming Slytherins and three bludger shots, faked to the left and scored a goal on the middle ring. It was really exhilarating. There's going to be a party starting up in the common room, but after recent events...I think I'll skip it.

L.E. + J.P. – love

January 26th, 1978...02:19

Another full moon outing. We four decided to explore a part of the Forbidden Forest that we previously hadn't. Nothing much happened, except that Moony almost lost control. Padfoot and I had to hold him back from following a human trail. It's scary when that kind of thing happens.

Oh, and we saw a unicorn. I really like those things. They're so pretty.

L.E. + J.P. – love

* * *

**A/N: So, another short chapter. At least it's on time. *hopeful smile***

**It was so hard for me to write that drunken text. TROP DIFFICILE!**

**Hey, I've still got a poll on my profile. If you haven't voted already...  
**

**Happy New Year!  
**


	8. February

Journal

Property of J. Potter

February 3rd 1978...01:05

I've got some nasty insomnia. I should probably go to the nurse and get a sleeping potion, but I should be okay. I'll be just fine. Fine. I'm not going to have any sleeping potion. None.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 4th 1978...02:06

Can't sleep. Lily's too worried about me. I'm fine. I just can't fall asleep. No potions. No potions. No sleeping potions.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 5th, 1978...15:45

I almost fainted in class today. Lily's freaking out, and so are Wormy and Moony. Sirius thinks I'm joking. I want to sleep. No potions. I don't want to sleep forever. No potions.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 6th, 1978...14:34

Li_ly_ scared me t**od**_**a**__y_. She _wa__**nted**__ to t_alk. S_he__**'**__s _worrie**d ab**out my lack of sleep. She told me to _go to Madam P__**o**__m__**fr**__ey a_nd take _a sleeping potion. I s_aid no. She g_ot_ ma**d at** me and **walk**_**ed **_**me to th**e...uh...room _wit__**h **__b_eds**...**thing. _Bu_t I r**a**n a_wa_y. I'_m hidi_ng in a secret pa_ssa_ge.

If **I'm here** in the bat _cave, where's_ my trusty si_de_k_i_ck?

L.E**. +** J.P_. __–__ love_

February 8th, 1978...19:09

I woke up. That means I must have slept. But I woke up in the hospital wing. That means that someone has been sneaky and given me a sleeping potion. At least I'm not dead.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 8th, 1978...20:30

So Moony was the sneaky one who slipped the sleeping potion in my coffee. That bastard. What if I had fallen into a coma and never woken up? He'd sure be feeling guilty then.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 13th, 1978...16:28

Lily's kind of mad at me because I forgot about Valentine's Day tomorrow, and I didn't ask her to go to Hogsmeade with me. Isn't that a bit neurotic (or is it psychotic...)? I mean, we've been going out for what, 3-and-a-bit months now? Isn't it already assumed that we're going together? Anyway, we _are_ going to Hogsmeade, we are _not_ going to that stupid tea shop. I sure hope that going to that Italian/Greek restaruant will be okay. It'd better be okay, because I made special secret reservations.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 14th, 1978...23:43

I had a fantastic night tonight. Fantastic. Fan-freaking-**tastic**! I told Lily at breakfast that I had some homework to do that I forgot about. She rolled her eyes and said "Fine, when will you be done?" I told her I probably wouldn't be done until five thirty, at which Lily pouted and said that five thirty was too late. I retorted with "Well, homework can't be helped. And I hope you wear a dress." Lily got really quiet after that and just watched me for the rest of the morning, this look of wondering and curiosity on her face.

Anyway, it turned out that I actually had forgotten some potions homework. So I did that, but it didn't take very long, maybe an hour. So I looked ahead in a bunch of my texts, and I'm now even further along in the class than Moony. And at that point it was about 1:30. So I lay around for about a half hour, and decided to go find Sirius. He's finally decided to paint Bikerson. He was magicking it different colours. He'd decided on teal...TEAL? Who paints a motorbike _teal_? I convinced him to change the colour to a reddish orange. So we talked for a while. I told him about my plans for this evening, and Sirius couldn't wrap his head around the fact that there wasn't anything we were going to do other than eat and go for a walk. He's got a sick mind, that one, but we're still best mates.

Anyway, I went to the library for some "recreational reading", but it didn't really hold my attention for long. I've never really been into fiction. Or non-fiction. Or reading at all.

So, I ended up falling asleep. I just went back to my room and fell asleep until five, and then I was panicking a little. My hair just can't be neatened. And my dress robes looked wrinkled, and I've never been good at that ironing charm, so I used the steam charm instead, and that made my robes look okay. Then I ran to the front entrance where I was going to meet Lily, and she was already there, looking a little impatient but more beautiful than I had ever seen her in a brown dress with white embroidery. I apologized for my tardiness and we set off. I took her to this restaurant called Stobene. I'd made reservations, and Lily seemed impressed by that. I must say, I was feeling pretty sophisticated myself. So we were sitting at the table. I ordered spaghetti, and Lily ordered lasagna. It was a really nice evening, neither of us feeling pressured by school or homework. When we went back to Hogwarts we said goodnight and went to our separate quarters. I wonder if that is what it will feel like to be out of school. Probably not, but I wish it were.

I just wish life were easier than it is. But it's not. We have to deal with adversity, and trials and consequences. I don't like consequences. At least, not bad ones. A consequence of me loving Lily is that she loves me back.

L.E. + J.P. – love

February 20th, 1978...18:00

School is hell. Turning people's tongues blue makes things a little better.

February 28th, 1978...23:09

Next month had better be ten times as cool as this month was. This month sucked. And it's spelled funny.

* * *

**A/N: So, life happened, and I've forgotten to write. I've been slowly falling down into a deep, dark hole of "not writing", which I intend to widen and make steps up and out of. I'll be posting the chapters for March and April, hopefully, by the end of this week. So sorry!**


	9. March

Journal

Property of J. Potter

March 3rd, 1978...16:07

I like the way my journal does time thingies at the top of whatever I write. Such things make me smile.

I think that Slughorn is a slug with a capital G at the end, as in sluG. He's a total favouritist. I don't know if that's even a real word, but it fits.

L.E. + J.P. – love

March 15th, 1978...23:09

Planning has begun for April Fool's Day. We Marauders met in the Hiding Room to discuss plans. Mooney had some good ideas, Wormtail wanted to retry some of the pranks that didn't work last year. Padfoot just sat back in a cushy chair with a grin on his face right until the end when he revealed the epic, best, coolest, grooviest scheme EVER! _EVER_, I say.

This year will be interesting.

L.E. + J.P. – love

March 18th, 1978...19:19

Oldie Voldie's on the move. He killed a lot of people in Aberdeen. Classes have stopped, because a lot of the kids here have family in Aberdeen. Neil's uncle was killed, and so was his cousin, Jane. Voldemort needs to be stopped. I wish I could help.

March 28th, 1978...18:23

My room is clean now. I have finished my homework. I have nothing to do. I think I'll bug Sirius until we start a pun war of huge proportions.

March 31st, 1978...07:18

The plans for tomorrow have been finalised. Let the havoc begin!

* * *

**A/N: So this chapter was really short, but I was feeling rushed.**


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